diff --git a/packages/babel-cli/src/babel/dir.js b/packages/babel-cli/src/babel/dir.js
index 4e4cb11c1d..ebd86380b7 100644
--- a/packages/babel-cli/src/babel/dir.js
+++ b/packages/babel-cli/src/babel/dir.js
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ module.exports = function (commander, filenames) {
   _.each(filenames, handle);
 
   if (commander.watch) {
-    let chokidar = require("chokidar");
+    let chokidar = util.requireChokidar();
 
     _.each(filenames, function (dirname) {
       let watcher = chokidar.watch(dirname, {
diff --git a/packages/babel-cli/src/babel/file.js b/packages/babel-cli/src/babel/file.js
index 9ab05ed696..26fbaf3452 100644
--- a/packages/babel-cli/src/babel/file.js
+++ b/packages/babel-cli/src/babel/file.js
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ module.exports = function (commander, filenames, opts) {
     walk();
 
     if (commander.watch) {
-      let chokidar = require("chokidar");
+      let chokidar = util.requireChokidar();
       chokidar.watch(filenames, {
         persistent: true,
         ignoreInitial: true
diff --git a/packages/babel-cli/src/babel/util.js b/packages/babel-cli/src/babel/util.js
index 720705001a..e0d004fcb8 100644
--- a/packages/babel-cli/src/babel/util.js
+++ b/packages/babel-cli/src/babel/util.js
@@ -71,3 +71,12 @@ process.on("uncaughtException", function (err) {
   console.error(toErrorStack(err));
   process.exit(1);
 });
+
+export function requireChokidar() {
+  try {
+    return require("chokidar");
+  } catch (err) {
+    console.error("The optional dependency chokidar failed to install and is required for --watch. Chokidar is likely not supported on your platform.")
+    throw err;
+  }
+}